Scoreboard



Sept. 30, 1941. J. TICE 2,257,518

SCOREBOARD Filed April 10, 1940 J a 73m Patented Sept. 30, 1941 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE 2,257,518 I SCOREBOARD James Olin Tice, Columbia,S. 0.

Application April 10, 1940, Serial No. 329,002

8 Claims, (Cl. 116-120) The invention comprises a score board andmarkers for the score board to indicate the score at any given period ofthe game.

The invention finds application in score boards for games and athleticcontests of various kinds and is especially adapted to baseball gamesand score boards used at baseball games. Accordingly the preferredembodiment of the invention is shown as applied to score boards forkeeping the score of baseball games.

In baseball games, as is well known, the periods of play are dividedinto innings during which innings each team has an opportunity to scoreruns. The score boards conventionally used at baseball games have spacesindicative of the several innings, usually arranged in two rows, therespective rows being employed to indicate the score made by therespective teams durin the several innings played. It is common practiceto place a digit on such a score board in the .place indicative of theinning and of the team which made the score. Thus the number of runsmade by a given team ina given inning are indicated by a correspondingdigit placed in the space for that team indicative of that inning.

The purpose of my invention is to add to'a score recording board anelement which characterizes the nature of the score made by the team inany given inning. For example, and as illustrated in the embodimentshown, if a team has failed to score in a given inning the indicationmade at the space indicative of that inning for that team is a zerowhich is frequently colloquially referred to as a "goose egg.

Using this situation as an example, the purpose of my invention is tosupply the character of a goose which can be transported along the scoreboard in view of the spectators, and which will carry with it a digitmember representing a zero, or a goose egg, hidden until the goose isopposite the space indicative of the particular inning, at'which pointthe goose will release the zero and lay the egg in the space indicativeof that inning.

The device of my invention will add humor to the game and will attractattention to the score board accordingly. It is common practice to use ascore board at a baseball game, as well as at other contests, foradvertising purposes. The value of my invention lies in this, that theattention of the spectators will be more readily attractedto the scoreboard and to the advertising displayed thereon.

This being the nature of my invention as explained in general terms,attention is now directed to the drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the invention; Figure 2 isacross-sectional elevation through the board taken on line 2'2 of Figure1;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the character as attached to theconveyor;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional elevation. taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3;and

' Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view on line "5-4 of Figure 3showing'adetail of one element of the invention.

As illustrated in Figure. 1. the' invention comprises a board ll setupright at the site of the game. In the instant case the board II issimilar to What is conventionally seen at baseball games and comprisestwo rows l2 and I3 01 score indicating spaces, each space I4 and I5representing an inning and the respective spaces l4 and I5 indicatingthe score of the opposing teams, the names of which are presented'in thespaces I6 and I1. Ateach end of the score board at H! and l 9 there is ahousi'ngarranged in front of an opening in the score board, each housingbeing open at its end facing the other housing."

Between the housings l8 and I9 there is provided the endless conveyor 20in the embodiment shown comprising a strand which travels through theopenings in the housings and score board and over the sheaves 20 acrossthe face and back of the score board. The conveyor is manuallymanipulated to carry a traveler or character member 2| along the lineof' spaces l4 and I5 and to bring it above and in registry with any ofsaid spaces. A score recording attendant is positioned in rear ofthescore board or in one of the housings H3 or 19, preferably in thehousing H3, or one or more attendants may be positioned in each of thehousings l8 and I9, hidden from'view of the spectators of the game. Atthe close of any period of the game, for example, in the case of abaseball game'at the close of the inning of one or the other of thesides, an attendant attaches the desired digit member or scoreindicating element to'the conveyor 20, the character member used beingthe proper one to indicatethe score made bythat team during its inning.He thereupon transports the character member, with the digit memberattached thereto, across the score board by. manually manipulating theconveyor 20. Whenthe character member reaches a position oppositethepartioular space corresponding to the'inning, the attendant releasesthe digit member, from the character member by manual means to be detion at the. selected indicating space.

scribed more fully hereinafter, and the digit member is thereupondeposited in the proper space to provide a record of the score madeduring that inning.

In the present case, and for the purpose of illustration, the charactermember shown is in the form 'of a figure representing a goose, and it isequipped with attaching means 22, Figure 3, which grips the conveyor 20,and holds the character to a predetermined position along the endlessconveyor 20. As more clearly illustrated in Figures 2 and 5, theattaching means used in the preferred practice of the inventioncomprises spring clips 22 which function to support the character on theconveyor 20 and in addition.-

provide gripping surfaces 23 which clamp the character member to theconveyor and hold the character member at a predetermined position alongthe conveyor.

On the back of the character member is the swinging keeper member 24pivoted to the. character member at :25 and having the keeper notch 26..The. member 2'!- provided at" its upper portion with spaced.- apart pins28 and 29 arranged in the line of. its major axis and which are adaptedto engage the notch '25.? tohold the digit member in axial alinementwith the pivot 25.v vPin 29 is a supporting-pin designed tofengage anotch 31 or notch 39 to suspend the digit member in an indicating spaceon the score board, while 13111128 serves as a detent or stop pin tohold the keeper and digit member. from relative swinging or tiltingmovement. when they are in engagement. 'Pivotally attached to thecharacter member. at 30 is a clamping member 3!! carseated in: the notch26; SeeFiguret. 'Iheispring 33Furges the member 31 to the left in Figure3 to hold the member 3|. normally in clamping position. parts 24 and21., as shown, are arranged'to hold member 211 inclined in one directionorf at an angle to the vertical. Retraction o'futh'e clamping member 3.!releases the member 21 which is thereupon free. to swing: withmem- 7'ber .24 to a vertical position to adapt it-tlo drop byugra'vity into anindicating space.

" The character member 2!, with the digit member .21 attached thereto inthe manner described, is now ready to be transported along the score Yboardand along the rovvs of score indicating pulled manually by-theattendant. This moves the latch or tripp'able clamping member 3 l to theright in Figure 3' against the tension of the spring 33, and permits thekeeper member to swing to a vertical position on the pivot 2.5un'der"the'weight of. the digit member .21. The pins 28 and 29 willthen befree. to slide out of thev notch "2.6 in. the'keeper member and permitthe digit member to drop by gravity into supported posiofeach spacel4.-th,ere1 is a notch '31 and when the digit member ifalls. away fromthe character i member the pin 29 fallsinto the notch 31.. The pin 29 iselongated and projects through the score board H, Figure 2,. and iscounterbalanced At the top member 2| thereupon is transported in eitherdirection along the board, preferably continuing in its originaldirection to the housing I9 at' to the midpoint at 0 along the top ofthe space 15. In the instant embodiment shown the character member 2|represents a goose which is used to transport the digit memberrepresenting naught or zero and simulating in its appearance a gooseegg. This digit member, for example, is used to indicate that the teamfailed to score or, to use the colloquial expression, has laid an egg,the action of the goose character member in dropping the zero digitmember simulating the action of a goose in laying an egg. The attendantin the housing l8 may be equiped with noise makers and sound devicesalso indicative of the nature of the score. To illustrate, in the caseof the goose he could be equippedwith a noise maker indicating the honkof a. goose.

The combination of the character and r the digit, the character beingindicativeof the score to be marked. by the digit, adds a touch of humorto the game and to the score marking which attracts attention to thescore board H, and to the advertising matter M placed on. the board.

Having described the invention'in detail and presented a practicalembodiment of the invention-as practiced, the invention is not. limitedto the specific structure shown and described but its scope isdetermined by the scope of the accompanying claims. I What I claim is:

' 1'. In a game score indicating apparatus, a score board -havingappropriately delineated Score indicating spaces and supporting means atsaid spaces, a traveling character member, means for moving saidcharacter member to bring it in proximity to any of the score indicatingspaces, a digit member adapted to be held upon and transported by thecharacter member to ase: lected indicating spaceand to be releasedtherefrom for deposit at said space and having supporting means for.engagement with the supporting means .at said space to hold it indisplay position, and means for holding the digit member on thecharacter member for transportation thereby and releasing it therefromfor transfer to and engagement with the supporting means,

at the selected space. I

2. In a game score indicating apparatus, a score board havingappropriately delineated score indicating spaces and supporting means atsaid spaces, a traveling character member, means mounting said charactermember for'travel to bring it in proximity to any of the indicatingeating space, said digit member being adapted to -counterweight-thedigitmember as it hangs when released to drop by gravity. into saidspace and having supporting means to engagethe supporting means at thespace to hold it in display position, and means for actuating theholding means to release the digit member.

3. In a game score indicating apparatus, a sc0re board having a row ofappropriately delineated score indicating spaces and supporting means atsaid spaces, a traveling character member, an endless conveyor forsuporting and moving said character member to bring it in proximity toany of said indicating spaces, a digit member adapted to be held on andtransported by said character member to a position to be dropped into aselected indicating space and provided with supporting means to engagethe suporting means at the selected space and support the digit membertherein for display, means on the character member for releasablyholding the digit member thereon, and means for actuating said holdingmeans to release the digit member.

4. In a game score indicating apparatus, a score board having a row ofappropriately delineated score indicating spaces and means at each spacefor supporting a score indicating element for display, a scoreindicating element, a character member mounted for travel to bring itinto registering position with any of the score indicating spaces,holding means on the character member comprising a keeper and a clampingmember for holding the score indicating element in engagement with saidkeeper to adapt to release the indicating element and adapt it s to dropand bring its supporting means into engagement with the supporting meansat the selected space.

5. In a game score indicating apparatus, a score board having a row ofappropriately delineated score indicating spaces, supporting means atsaid spaces, a character member, means for moving said character memberto bring it in proximity to any of the score indicating spaces, a digitmember adapted to be transported by the character member in a pathparallel with the row of spaces to a selected indicating space andhaving supporting means for engagement with the supporting means in theselected space, and means comprising a keeper member for holding thedigit member in position on the character member for transportation andreleasing it for transfer to and engagement with the supporting means atthe selected space.

6. In a game score indicating apparatus, a score board having a row ofappropriately delineated score indicating spaces, supporting means atsaid spaces, a character member, means mounting said character memberfor travel to bring it in proximity to any of the indicating spaces, akeeper on the character member, a digit member adapted to be supportedby the character member and transported thereby to any indicating space,said digit member having a supporting element for engagement with saidkeeper and with the supporting means at any indicating space, a clamp onthe character member for holding the digit member in engagement with thekeeper and adapted to be retracted to release the digit member formovement into a selected indicating space, said digit member beingadapted when released to drop by gravity into said space, and means forretracting the clamping member,

7. In a game score indicating apparatus, a score board having a row ofappropriately delineated score indicating spaces, a character member,means for supporting and moving said character member along said row soas to bring it into registry with any of said indicating spaces, a scoreindicator adapted to be transported by said character member to aselected indicating space and to be released therefrom so as to dropinto said space, means on the character member for releasably holdingthe score indicator thereon, and means for actuating said holding meansto release the score indicator.

8. In a game score indicating apparatus, a score board having a row ofappropriately delineated score indicating spaces, a character membermounted for travel in a path above and along said row so as to bring itinto position above any of the score indicating spaces, a scoreindicator adapted to be transported by said character member to aselected indicating space and to be released therefrom so as to dropinto said space, holding means on the character member comprising akeeper and a clamping member for holding the score indicator inengagement with said keeper to adapt the score indicator to betransported by the character member to a selected indicating space andin position to drop into said space, and means for actuating saidclamping member to release the score indicator.

JAMES OLIN TICE.

